World over the curve of the COVID-19 virus has barely flattened. While some countries have begun to open their borders and lift restrictions, in others the situation continues to get worse.
“Argentina data”
Argentina has registered a death rate of 9.8 per 100,000 people as of May 22, compared to 94.3 in Brazil and 47.2 in Peru, according to a report presented by President Alberto Fernandez in a television press conference. The country has recorded 704 new infections as of Saturday, one of the highest single-day increases since the pandemic began. The country has 11,353 cases, mostly in Buenos Aires,
where the city’s low-income neighbourhoods have been particularly hit hard, government data showed as the death toll skyrocketed to 445.
“President Alberto Fernandez announces extension”
This resulted in Argentina announcing that it will extend the mandatory lockdown till 7 June 2020 in Buenos Aires. The countrywide lockdown was to be lifted this Saturday, however, the sudden spike in cases led to the re-evaluation of the situation. It added
that they will further be increasing stricter restrictions in the city after the state recorded a steady increase in cases over the past few days.
“Other restrictions”
Other restrictions include tightening of traffic controls by the officials within the capital which has reported the second-highest concentration of cases as per Mr Fernandez’s report.
Further, he announced that public transportation shall be shut. Earlier, some businesses and companies had been allowed to reopen under the previous phases, but would now be shut in the popular neighbourhoods of the province.
Argentina had also earlier announced a commercial flight ban until 1 September 2020, which is one of the world’s strictest travel measures taken during the pandemic.
“Rising cases a driving factor for extension”
President Fernandez also stated that the rising caseload was the “driving factor” in extending the isolation period in Buenos Aires, where 87% of new cases over the last two weeks were confirmed.
“We are doing things well and I thank everyone, but much remains to be done,” Mr Fernandez said.
“Neighbourly threat”
Argentina is still swimming in infections and deaths especially in the neighbouring countries including Brazil, which has the world’s second-highest number of cases at 347,398 and a death toll of 22,013, Brazilian government data showed.
